


Let's Talk

by pirate_smile



Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: Angst, Bad Ending, Emetophobia, F/M, Post-Canon, Songfic, infected!paul
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:14:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25624990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pirate_smile/pseuds/pirate_smile
Summary: Paul tells Emma that he just wants to talk to her.
Relationships: Paul Matthews/Emma Perkins
Kudos: 22





	Let's Talk

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the song "Let's Talk" by EMEFE  
> tw for vomit

They had been dragging Emma by the arms for a long-ass time. When they took her in their vice grips, Emma had expected them to bring her into another room in the hospital. Instead, she’d been trudged down street after street until she was in a goddamn boat on the lake.

The farther they traveled, the more Emma’s anxiety rose in her chest. The way the aliens, who had used to be living people, had frozen in an instant at the end of Paul’s song had been a red flag. The tiny glint in their eyes, the one that relished in the joy of performing, had vanished momentarily, leaving them all looking like mannequins, arms and legs at crooked angles, mouths agape. Emma herself had been frozen in confusion and residual fear at the sight. She had just gained the wherewithal to stand when Paul awoke, turned on his heel, and dashed out of the hallway. She’d sent a brief look of bewilderment his way before she wove between the remaining aliens to head in the opposite direction. She’d only made it about ten steps before she’d been grabbed by Ted and Bill.

What was the Hive playing at? They for sure had some plan for her, but it seemed like they had had a plan for her before, and then changed it. Now they were taking her somewhere. Somewhere in Hatchetfield. That was another red flag. Hatchetfield was fucked.

When she saw the PEIP officers return the salutes Ted and Bill sent them, Emma knew the world was fucked, too.

And yet, the meteor was paying special attention to her.

Having spent her entire childhood dodging authority figures, Emma knew her way around Hatchetfield better than anyone. Even facing the wrong way, once they got to the island, it didn’t take long for Emma to figure out where she was being taken.

God, when was the last time Emma had been to the Starlight Theater? She didn’t know, but what she did know was that she did not want to be there now.

Emma bucked against Ted and Bill. She kicked, grunted, thrashed, screamed, anything that could throw them off and give her an opening to escape. Nothing worked. They marched stiffly toward the Starlight like she wasn’t even there.

The sun sank below the horizon right as they arrived. Bill opened the door to the lobby and Ted led her inside.

The lobby had been untouched by the meteor crash, apparently. The lights were still on, giving it a golden glow that, on a normal day, could have been comforting. But, as a lobby always was, it was only a precursor to their real destination.

Ted and Bill used their free arms to each hold open one of the double doors to the theater. They threw in her like she was a sack of apples and the doors slammed shut.

The theater was dark, the only light coming from the moon through the hole in the ceiling. The air was thick with debris that caught the blue light pulsating brightly from the meteor. Blue shit oozed out of the huge chunk had been taken out of it by the man leaning casually up against it. How had he gotten here so fast?

She forced those thoughts aside and ran back to the door. She yanked on the handles with all her strength, but they didn’t budge.

“We just keep running into each other,” he said behind her.

She didn’t turn to face him. “No, I keep running from you, and you keep trapping me.”

He chuckled. “Maybe that’s true. But that doesn’t mean I’m not happy to see you.”

She gritted her teeth. “Cut the shit, because I’m not buying it.”

“What are you talking about?”

She turned and addressed the meteor. “You can’t convince me that that –” she pointed at the hollow shell of Paul. “ – is really Paul. It’s not. I know your game. I saw you do it to Hidgens. You pretend to be someone I know so you can pick at my insecurities and get me to want to be infected.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Paul walk off the stage and toward her.

“It’s not gonna work. It didn't work at the hospital, it won't work now. You know why? Because Paul doesn’t know me! I gave him my name the day before your ass crashed here. He doesn’t know anything you can use! Give up.”

“Emma,” he said. He was only six feet in front of her. “You’re wrong. It is me. I know it might not seem like it. I mean, I did tell you I’d never be in a fucking musical and then I started singing to you. I get that it’s hard to believe.”

Her heart froze at that callback, but Emma reminded herself that these things had access to Paul’s memories. The meteor was still trying to manipulate her.

“But trust me,” he continued. “I’m still me, at least mostly. The infection just…” he searched for the right words. “got rid of bad parts.”

“And what are the bad parts?” she asked the meteor defiantly. “His goals, his ambitions, his free will –”

“No. The hesitation. The self-loathing. Emma, I used to hate myself. I used to think that I wasn’t worth anyone’s time to be around. It stopped me from pursuing the things I really wanted. I don’t feel that anymore.” He took a cautious step forward, as if she were a spooked animal.

“You probably already knew this, Emma – actually, you definitely already knew this, based on what you said after the helicopter crash – but I like you. A lot. I have for a long time, but I was too afraid you would think I’m boring or weird or – I don’t know. I was too afraid to tell you that. But I’m not anymore.”

Her eyes slid over to Paul. “Emma, I care about you. I’m so happy like this, and I want that for you, too.”

She had been robbed of her ability to speak. He sounded so much like Paul. Not like how Zoey and Nora had sounded, all monotone and shit. He was speaking to her like a normal goddamn person.

“There’s gotta be something, Emma. Something you wish would go away. People aren’t perfect. But now? Now we can be.”

“No,” she whispered. “No, that’s not what I want. I don’t want my personality to bend to the will of a fucking space rock. And you know what?” She was still talking to Paul. “Paul didn’t want this, either. He didn’t want to be some puppet used to kill me.”

“How do you know?” he asked lightly. “You said so yourself, I only met you the day before the meteor crashed. You don’t know me. You don’t know exactly what I want. How can you say for sure that I’m not trying to get what I want right now?” He paused. “But do you want to know?”

She squinted. “Know what?”

“Do you want to know what I want? Me, Paul Matthews. What I’ve wanted since before the meteor.”

She didn’t respond. Slowly, music seeped into the theater. A lone haunting note soon accompanied by a trembling guitar.

_“I want to lay you down after I shut off the night.”_

Paul was singing again. This time, the song was low and quiet. He took slow, careful steps up the aisle toward her.

“ _And talk about your childhood tonight.”_

His stare was boring into her skull with an openness and intensity that paralyzed her.

_“There’s nowhere we’re supposed to be”_

He gestured lazily to the room.

_“We’ve got infinite time.”_

Another small step closer.

 _“Let’s unpack your insecurities,”_ He held his hand to his heart. _“and mine.”_

His chin dipped to his chest and he looked up at her through his eyelashes.

_“Don’t hold back any part of you. Show me where your troubles lie.”_

Paul’s voice toed the line between deep and guttural and soft and soothing.

_“I’m ready to help, I’ll be here all night. We’re gonna be alright.”_

A small smile grew on Paul’s lips. Emma’s muscles relaxed, but she didn’t feel it.

_“Let’s talk, talk about our love.”_

Paul stopped walking, now only two feet from her.

_“Open up our hearts.”_

The look in his eyes was so vulnerable. She couldn’t tear her gaze away.

_“Your heart, I’ll break down its walls.”_

He held out his hand.

_“And talk until the sun comes up.”_

Entranced, Emma stepped toward him and took his hand. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles.

_“I want to make no mistake.”_

He took her other hand and sat them down cross-legged on the floor.

_“Every word you say, I will listen until the break of day.”_

He leaned his head closer to her until they were inches apart. That open and earnest expression was even more real up close.

_“No such thing as coming on strong.”_

He was singing softly, so softly. The sound only barely came out, but it was beautiful.

_“Tell me your regrets. The fights that you wish you could forget.”_

Thoughts of Jane, Tom, and Tim floated unbidden through her mind.

_“Don’t hold back any part of you. Show me where your troubles lie.”_

He squeezed her hands gently, bringing her attention back to him.

_“I’m ready to help, I’ll be here all night.”_

He cupped her face in his hand.

_“We’re gonna be alright.”_

He stroked her cheek with his thumb, catching a tear that had been trailing down to her chin.

_“Let’s talk, talk about our love.”_

She leaned into his touch, her breathing heavy.

_“Open up our hearts.”_

He leaned forward even more until their foreheads were pressed against each other.

_“Your heart, I’ll break down its walls.”_

She felt his breath against her lips.

_“And talk until the sun comes up.”_

She closed her eyes and let the sound envelope her.

_“Let’s talk, talk about our love.”_

The hand holding hers drifted up her arm and rested just above her shoulder.

_“Open up our hearts.”_

She moved her hand to his thigh.

_“Your heart, I’ll break down its walls.”_

The hand holding her cheek fell to her neck.

_“And talk until the sun comes up.”_

Now, his voice was high and clear. Beautiful, like the ringing of a bell.

She pushed forward and met his lips with hers.

_“Let’s talk.”_

She didn’t notice as other voices from outside the theater continued the song.

_“La, la, la, la, la.”_

His lips fizzed and popped with energy as they kissed each other. He was a good kisser.

_“La, la, la, la, la.”_

His arm threaded around her back.

_“Ah, ah, ah, ah.”_

She laid her arms on his shoulders.

_“La, la. La, la, la, la, la.”_

He pulled her forward so she was sitting in his lap.

_“La, la, la, la.”_

He held her tightly, protectively. She melted into him.

_“Let’s talk.”_

He was singing again.

_“Talk about our love.”_

In the breaks between phrases, he kissed her languidly, tongue toying her lips open.

_“I’ll figure you out.”_

The feeling of his cool breath against her kissed lips made her heart fluttery. He was a really good kisser.

_“Your heart, tell me how you feel.”_

She moaned softly into his mouth.

_“Open up and let yourself go.”_

His arms tightened around her suddenly, pressing her to his chest. The music got spastic around her. He leaned over her, her back arching at a harsh angle. His tongue was deep in her throat, jamming her mouth open. She felt him lurch, a wave that started at his middle and rode upward to his neck.

The volume of the music rose. Emma was shocked into a brief moment of clarity. She’d been stupid. She knew the meteor’s game, and she’d still played into its hands. Hands it stole from a poor, nervous man who drank shitty, overpriced coffee just to get the chance to talk to a snarky little barista he thought was cute. She’d let the meteor manipulate her. And so easily! How had it gotten her without so much as a fight?

She had been drawn in, and now there was no way it was letting her go.

The cacophony grew even louder until she couldn’t hear herself think. The only things she could feel were Paul’s arms around her, keeping her from escaping, and a lump of slime sliding from Paul’s throat into Emma’s.

The noises reached their climax, and the slime plopped into her stomach. Instantly, all that was Emma Perkins was snuffed out.

**Author's Note:**

> I kinda had to dip my toe into the songfic pool. I've had this one rattling around for a while now.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!


End file.
